Redcar is situated on the north east coast of the UK, our blog lets you know the best places to eat, stay and have fun in Redcar. We plan to keep everyone updated about the latest events and news in Redcar. In our blog about Redcar you will find everything from the best bed and breakfast in Redcar to the best fun days at Redcar.

Thursday, 30 January 2014

Wednesday, 29 January 2014

As a vital part of our key stage 3 literacy initiative, we are taking
all year 7-9 English classes to the local Redcar library with a view to
ensuring that each child becomes a member.

This will enable all students
to have the opportunity to visit and borrow books from the library. The
first visit on Friday with 2 year 8 classes was a great success with
all pupils showing interest an engagement in the texts on offer. Further
visits will take place over the coming fortnight.http://www.redcaracademy.com/2014/01/local-library-visit/

Tuesday, 28 January 2014

Council team swoops to remove illegally-tethered ponies from
council land in Redcar after complaints are made to ward councillors

Illegally tethered ponies - including the one pictured - have been removed from land at Low Farm Drive

Illegally-tethered ponies have been removed from land in Redcar after an early hours swoop.
And the council which launched the dawn raid has warned there may be more enforcement action to come if the problem continues.

Horse
bailiffs, acting for Redcar and Cleveland Council, successfully carried
out the action on council land off Low Farm Drive after concerns were
raised to ward councillors.
The three ponies had been tethered at, or near to, the location - a practice called fly-grazing - over the last six months.

The
council issued notices and the local neighbourhood team, police and
Coast and Country repeatedly tried to get the owners to make appropriate
arrangements for keeping their ponies, but with no success.

Following the ponies’ removal on Wednesday last week, the horses were taken to be cared for at a secure facility.
The owners have until tomorrow to claim them.

A makeshift shelter has been removed and the council has taken away barriers and hay.
Councillor
Steven Goldswain, Cabinet member for community safety, said: “We are
working to address this ongoing problem and the council, Cleveland
Police and local housing associations remain committed to taking a firm
line on horses illegally tethered and roaming on public land.
“Enforcement
action, which could include the seizure of horses found on council
land, will continue to be an option for the council in resolving matters
like this.”

Unsecured horses have been a long-running problem in Redcar and Cleveland.
A
Low Farm Drive resident, who lives near where the Redcar ponies were
tethered, on the cleared site of the old Wheatacres residential home,
said residents sometimes had to help the ponies if they got tangled up.
She said: “To be honest, they seemed quite well cared for and the kids liked them, but they were left out in all weathers.
"And if you’ve got nowhere to put your horses, you shouldn’t have them.”

Kirkleatham
ward councillor Mark Hannon said: “Ward councillors receive continuous
complaints from members of the public worried about the actions of horse
owners who allow their animals to roam in public areas.”

Monday, 27 January 2014

Brown and Sons have helped many local Redcar residents clean and maintain their driveways. After contacting the Redcar Blog Brown and Sons are very proud to now offer full driveway installation across East Cleveland.

Already with hundreds of driveway cleaning examples, Brown and Sons have a growing portfoilio of full driveway installations projects. They will happily quote on block paving, pattern imprinted concrete, tarmac and a simple concrete finish. Full details can be found on the website:

Friday, 24 January 2014

James Taylor, 33, has told of his determination to 'walk
independently with a stick' after he unexpectedly suffered a fit while
watching TV

James Taylor with his dad John and Karen Jones

At just 25, James Taylor had the world at his feet.
The happy-go-lucky Redcar
lad had a good job working for Vesuvius at Corus and a wonderful life,
surrounded by loving family, including dad John and mum, both 66.

But one night, in 2006, tragedy struck when he unexpectedly suffered a fit while watching TV.
He was rushed to hospital and doctors explained he had been suffering a series of “mini-strokes” days before the fit.

Now 33, James, who lives with his mum and dad who provide care for him every day, is still on a very long road to recovery.

However,
with a smile he tells of his determination to “walk independently with a
stick,” after reaching the exciting milestone of taking his very first
steps along Redcar seafront.
He explains: “For a couple of days
before the stroke, I’d had a bad head. Friends had noticed I’d taken a
lot of headache tablets.
“After the stroke, I wasn’t able to do the things I could before, going to work, driving a car.”James and his dad John on holiday in Tenerife in 2002
James’ speech suffered and he was unable to walk, as he spent a year in rehabilitation at James Cook University Hospital.
Once home, he remained uncharacteristically shy and quiet, as his mum and dad cared for him round the clock.

However,
his life began to change for the better again, when he met Karen Jones,
a communication support co-ordinator for the Stroke Association in
South Tees, and other support workers.

With their help, he began
setting goals to improve his speech and walk again and benefited from
speech therapy and social sessions with other stroke survivors.
Five
years on, he has reached his first significant goal of walking along
Redcar seafront and in the Stroke Activity Improvement Group he now
attends at Southlands Centre every Thursday.
Karen laughs: “He’s
so different to when he first came to us five years ago. It’s hard to
believe he was so shy now. Soon, he was the joker of the group. To see
how far he has come is just fantastic. I’m chuffed to bits for him.”

James’ condition meant he has had to build up gradually to walking again.
The
first big milestone came when he began by walking on a ramp outside the
home, supported by his dad, before building up to the trip to walk
along the new seafront at Redcar for the first time, with the aid of a
rail.James pictured on holiday shortly before suffering a series of mini strokes
Karen said: “It was always James’ goal to walk again.
“I remember when he set that goal. When I saw him walking, it brought a lump to my throat.”

It
was also a big boost for James - who “loves being outdoors” - to be
able to take in the new seafront for the first time on foot.
He said: “It was good to get up off my bum. If I can do some exercise I will. It was nice.

“I like being outside. I can walk down by the beach near The Stray where the paddling pool is.”
Karen
said: “He’s so inspiring to others in the group. He walks along the
wall at the Southlands Centre and there are others who have been in
wheelchairs who are now starting to do it as well.
“He’s started taking the first steps to walking independently again. We’re really proud of him.”James Taylor on holiday Benidorm in 2006

Support is out there for people in same situation

The
Middlesbrough Stroke Activity Improvement Group, attended by James,
runs from the Southlands Centre, Middlesbrough, every Thursday, from 1pm
until 2.30pm.

It provides health related activities to help improve mobility and wellbeing.
Speaking
of
the local groups and services on offer for stroke survivors across
Teesside, Karen says: “We offer support for people who have gone through
the same as what James has gone through.
“After
a stroke, a lot of people don’t think they can talk and go inside
themselves a bit. But the groups bring people out of themselves.

“We are really looking to rebuild people’s lives and show there’s life after stroke.
“Once people realise they still have a voice, whatever communication problem they might have, they can develop from there.”

An
information,
support and advice service for Stroke survivors and their carers
operates from Carter Bequest Hospital, Cambridge Road, Middlesbrough.
Call 01642 817395 for more information.
You can also contact Karen at karen.jones@stroke.org.uk.

Thursday, 23 January 2014

PCSO
Mike Murphy was up at the 25K Youth Club last night and managed to get
some of the bikes and scooters security marked. A reminder we will be at
the RKADE bike/scooter park on Majuba Rd this Saturday between 2 and
4pm offering Free Bicycle and scooter security marking, you will all be
very welcome. Hope to see some of you there team are on till late today you know the numbers to ring if you need us.

Single mum Lauren Jolly has warned about the perils of
taking out high interest pay day loans after a one and a half year
struggle

Lauren Jolly

The long gap between December and January pay days has led one mum and a housing group to warn about loan dangers.
Lauren Jolly, 26, found herself in an 18-month struggle with payday loans after falling on hard times.
But with the help of Coast and Country, Lauren, of Wilton Avenue, Dormanstown, has made her final payment.

Single
mum Lauren worked as a carer for six years, but during tough times
found it hard to find the cash to look after three-year-old son Joseph.
She said: “I was working but I got into a bit of trouble with money.

“Being a single mother doesn’t help, especially near Christmas when you really feel the pressure.
“At one point I was going without food.”
It
was then that Lauren decided to take out a payday loan. She said: “I
kept seeing adverts on the telly for loans and I eventually got one.

“It wasn’t much and it’s easy at the time but when you’re paying it back it’s hard. You end up getting into a vicious circle.
“I would pay that one off and then just get another because I was skint.”Diane Motson and Claire Barnett from Coast & Country
Payday loan companies have been criticised over high interest rates, something which can trap people like Lauren.

She said: “At first I was getting about £60 out and paying back about £90.
“Then after a while I was getting £100 out and paying back £130 so it worked out about £30 a fortnight.”
According to research by ICM, January 24 is the day cash-strapped people like Lauren are most likely to take out payday loans.
It was because of stories like Lauren’s that Coast and Country declared January 24 Pay Day Danger Day.

Coast
and Country’s chief executive Iain Sim said: “I think Lauren shows the
human story in the face of these payday loan companies.
“We think these companies are just there to exploit people.
“People should think very carefully before they take a payday loan out.”
Lauren said: “Coast and Country have been great. I didn’t realise how much they could help me get out of that cycle.”

Healthwatch Redcar
and Cleveland is recruiting Information Volunteers to be ‘the eyes and
ears’ of local communities, telling us what matters to people who use
health and social care services.

Information Volunteers will:· Promote Healthwatch· Encourage people to get involved· Gather people’s views· Share Healthwatch information· Promote our Information & Signposting serviceTraining
for Information Volunteers is scheduled for 13th, 20th and 27th
February, 12.30pm-4.00pm and will be held in Saltburn. Attendance at the
3 sessions is required to complete the training.If you are interested in this opportunity please contact Healthwatch on 01642 688312 or email healthwatchredcarcleveland@pcp.uk.net for further information and to register your place.If you’re not already a member of Healthwatch Redcar and Cleveland, please sign up on the 'get involved' tab.

A NIGHT spent sleeping rough in temperatures hovering around freezing is
how hardy fundraisers are planning to spend this Saturday night.

The Real High Street Sleep Out event, which runs from 8pm to 8am, is
in aid of the Coatham House projects which provides safe accommodation
for young people aged 16 to 25.

“It’s going to be an interesting and challenging experience but as
volunteers we will have the luxury of going back to our warm cosy homes
the next day,” said Steven Goldswain, Redcar & Cleveland Council’s
cabinet member for community safety.

“Sadly this is not the case for young people who find themselves
homeless and why we need to support the fantastic work of charities like
Coatham House.”

The charity was set up in 1984 by a group of local residents now
offers supported accommodation in a hostel as well as outreach support
to former residents.
People are also given support in securing benefits and tackling debt and drug issues to help them live independently.

Councillor Goldswain will be joined by Olwyn Peters, Redcar &
Cleveland Council’s cabinet member for culture, leisure and tourism and
other staff.

Organisers are hoping more people will join the effort and are looking
to the business community, including the town’s pubs, for support.

Natalie King, who is helping Coatham House organise the event, said:
“It’s great to have the team from Redcar & Cleveland along but we
still want more volunteers to get involved.
“Homelessness is a lonely and cold experience and that’s what this event will portray to those taking part.”

Volunteers, who must be 18 or above and physically fit, should provide
their own sleeping bags and warm clothing but some comforts, including
toilets and security, will be provided.

There is a £3 registration fee but participants are encouraged to
raise sponsorship. For more information call Coatham House on
01642-486844, email redcarsleepout@gmail.com or search for
#redcarsleepout on Twitter to get live updates during the sleepout on
Saturday.

HOUSING association staff took to the streets to warn residents of the
dangers of taking out a payday loan to see them over the long gap
between December and January pay days.
The Coast and Country staff also took time to highlight other forms of
affordable alternatives, including credit unions, as Payday Loan Danger
Day looms on Friday.

Chief executive Iain Sim and assistant chief executive Ronny Harris
joined them while tenant Lauren Jolly was on hand to give her personal
account of how advisors saved her from the potential misery of taking
out a high interest, short-term loan.

She said: “I came very close to taking out a payday loan but the
advice from the team meant that I could sort out my finances without
resorting to this.

“I am very grateful and want to warn other people that there is always
help out there and very high interest, short term loans are not the
answer.”

Payday Loan Danger Day, January 24, is the date when people struggling
to make ends meet are tempted to take out a pay day loan, according to
ICM research.

Mr Sim added: “Households already are struggling to make ends meet as
the price of everyday basics such as food, gas and electricity soar and
the bedroom tax and other benefit cuts really start to bite.

“In January there is even more financial danger. People need to make
their money last longer due to getting paid earlier than usual because
of the festive break.”

Sharon Hyde's scissors were among items taken from her car after thieves smashed the window to gain entry

Sharon Hyde

A hairdresser has been left feeling “vulnerable” and wanting to move home after specialist equipment was stolen from her car.

Sharon
Hyde’s 20-year-old gold scissors were among items taken from her silver
Vauxhall Corsa after thieves smashed the car’s window to gain entry.

The 44-year-old mum-of-three says she has now had to spend £400 to replace the hairdressing equipment and to repair her car.

“I’m not frightened but it has made me feel vulnerable,” said the Redcar hairdresser.

“Nothing like this has eve happened to me before but it has made me feel like I want to move home.”
Sharon,
who runs Hyde’s Hair mobile salon, had parked her car outside her home
on Station Road when it was broken into some time overnight on Sunday,
January 19, into Monday, January 20.

As well as the set of gold thinning scissors, standard scissors with pink jewels on the blades were taken from her car.
A pair of Wahl grooming clippers were also stolen.

The following morning Sharon, who has been hairdressing since she was 16, was notified about the break-in.
“A woman knocked on my door at about 6.40am on her way to work,” said the single mum.
“When she told me I just thought “Oh no”.

“They had been through my glovebox but my black hairdresser’s bag was under the front seat and they have taken that.

“I don’t usually leave stuff in the car but I had been busy and had left it in there.”

“What
I am gutted about is the thinning scissors - I have had them for about
20 years,” said Sharon, who moved from Wakefield to the area 18 months
ago, added. “You get used to working with them - it is like a chef with
knives.

“I would love to be reunited with them.
“I have
spent a small fortunate buying new equipment - money I could have done
without spending - but it would be great if anyone who has been offered
the items for sale came forward.”

Anyone who may have been offered these items for sale or who has other information is asked to contact PC John Dodsworth on 101.
You can also pass on information anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Warning comes as new figures show drop in whooping cough cases during 2013 on Teesside

Pregnant women and parents must ensure children are protected
against whooping cough, despite rates of the potentially fatal illness
falling across Teesside last year.
That’s the message from
Stockton’s director of public health Peter Kelly as figures show just
over 40% of pregnant women had the vaccine aimed at protecting their
unborn babies between October 2012 to September 2013.
Cases of whooping cough in the North-east rocketed from 69 in 2011 to 412 in 2012, amid the worst outbreak for 20 years.
But new figures show this eased to 268 in 2013.

The
latest statistics, from Public Health England (PHE), also show cases of
whooping cough across Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland and Stockton
fell from 34 in 2012 to 30 in 2013. The drop followed the start of an
immunisation campaign for pregnant women in September 2012. Parents were
also issued with urgent reminders to ensure their babies were immunised
just before their first birthday.

Speaking of the uptake in
toddlers of the five-in-one vaccine, which also protects against
diptheria, tetanus, polio and a bacterial infection which can cause
pneumonia or meningitis, a spokesman for Public Health England said: “In
general, the uptake in the North-east as a whole and in the Tees area
has been 95% uptake or above over the last couple of years, which is
slightly better than the national average.”

The average uptake in
England for toddlers who got the vaccine before their first birthday was
94.6% between October 2012 and September 2013 and 96.4% had received it
by their second birthday.
Mr Kelly added: “We are delighted that
the uptake on Teesside has been so good. It is a very safe and effective
vaccine that protects children and mums from what can be a very serious
disease.”
Meanwhile, rates for pregnant women who had the vaccine
in the Durham, Darlington and Tees practice area between October 2012
and September 2013 were recorded on a month-by-month basis.
They
ranged from as low as 10.5% in the month of June 2013 to a high of 77.5%
in October 2012 - just after the warning about the need for pregnant
women to have the vaccine was first issued.
But the average uptake among pregnant women across the year as a whole for Durham Darlington and Tees was 40.4%.

Mr
Kelly said the vaccine, offered to pregnant women between 28 and 38
weeks, was also “very safe and effective” for them, adding: “Pregnant
women who have it are effectively protecting their baby when it is born
from a disease which can be very distressing.”

Redcar and Cleveland Council is to develop 'surface water management plans' in response to the floods of September 6

Plans to manage floodwater in Redcar and Cleveland are being drawn up in response to last September’s damaging deluge.

Redcar and Cleveland Council is to develop “surface water management plans” in response to the floods of September 6, when parts of the borough experienced 155% of an average September’s rainfall in just six hours.

Homes
were flooded as parts of the infrastucture failed to cope, prompting
angry calls for action from those affected. Council, Environment Agency
and Northumbrian Water officials also ran the gauntlet at stormy public
meetings.

Now an independent report, to be presented to the
council’s Cabinet at Redcar’s 25K Centre at 10am on Tuesday, describes
the September 6 storm as a weather event only likely to occur once in
250 years.

But to help counter future problems, the report
recommends a multi-agency plan and continued community engagement to
help the borough better cope with flooding.

The report says the council
has received a £100,000 Environment Agency grant “to initiate flood
risk management” and develop surface water management plans -
effectively, schemes to hold surface water back from reaching drainage
systems until the extreme weather has subsided.

One recommendation is a land management scheme, where private land standing alongside watercourses is deliberately flooded.

The
council is set to work with private industry to improve surface water
flow through large industrial sites. Reviews of the maintenance policy
of about 29,000 highway gullies, as well as the council’s emergency
response procedures, are also recommended.

A report to Cabinet
says: “Due to the conditions experienced on September 6, it is obvious
something more radical needs to be considered, hence a greater focus and
more research is required to develop surface water management plans.

“These
will detail how surface water in such extreme conditions will be
managed before it gets to the urban areas, thus allowing existing
drainage to cope.”
Councillors will also hear how as late as
12.30pm on September 6, the national Flood Forecasting Centre was
predicting the borough would miss the worst of the rainfall.

But
as the deluge worsened, council chiefs called out additional drainage
resources before the Environment Agency issued a flood warning at
5.29pm. Half an hour later, houses started to flood and, by 8pm,
property flooding occurred across the borough.
Cabinet member for
highways, planning and transport, Councillor Helen McLuckie said:
“Although there is some room to improve drainage, the main action to
tackle flood risk is to develop surface water management plans.”

A FAMILY raising money to pay for medical treatment have launched an online auction site to help fund their campaign.

Adelle Huckins suffered for 20 years with migraines, fatigue and a
wide variety of infections before she was eventually diagnosed with Lyme
Disease - a bacterial infection spread through the bite of a tick.

The desperate mother-of-three, from Redcar, needs to raise thousands of pounds to get two of her young children tested at a specialist hospital in Germany.

So far the auction site has raised £300 for the family but with
thousands more needed the family is trying to raise interest in the
free-to-use site on Facebook.

Mrs Huckins said: “Basically all people have to do is load a picture
of what they are wanting to auction onto the site and then people can
put a bid in for it with the money going towards the appeal.

“We are also organising a number of other events to try and raise
money for our campaign but we would like to make it clear, we are a
fundraising appeal and not a charity.

“Every penny that we raise it used to pay for medical treatment and to fund specialist tests in a German hospital."

Mrs Huckins and her husband, Robert, have already sold all of their belongings to fund the private medical care.

Anyone wanting to auction unwanted goods on behalf of the appeal
should search for the Huckins Appeal Auction Site on Facebook.

They have also organised the Huckins Hearty Party at the Whitehouse, Marske, on Saturday, February 15 between 2pm and 4pm, when there will be a children’s disco and a variety of fun events.
Tickets, costing £2, are available by calling 07460-39700

Tuesday, 21 January 2014

Ian Swales will fight 2015 after winning Redcar from Labour in the 2010 General Election with the biggest swing in the country.

Redcar Lib Dem MP Ian Swales

Liberal Democrats have unanimously selected Redcar MP Ian Swales as their candidate for the 2015 General Election.

Mr Swales ousted Labour’s Vera Baird at the 2010 election with the biggest swing in the country.
He
will now try and defend the seat again next year after being selected
at the January meeting of Redcar Constituency Liberal Democrats.

In Parliament, Mr Swales is currently Lib Dem Treasury Spokesman and has been Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for the Chemical Industry.

He is also the only trained accountant on the influential Public Accounts Committee.
Redcar
Liberal Democrats chairman Josh Mason said: “Ian is a local man with
exactly the experience of industry and business we need to get our area
back on its feet.

"He’s made a huge impact since being elected in 2010. We’re very lucky to have him.”
Mr
Swales said: “I’m delighted the Liberal Democrats have put their faith
in me to represent them again at the next general election.

"After
decades of decline - with falling employment and failing industry over
successive Labour and Tory Governments - there’s no quick fix for our
local economy.

"But things are definitely starting to improve here
– manufacturing is increasing all the time and unemployment is at its
lowest level since 2009.

"I hope to be able to continue the fight we’ve started to bring jobs and prosperity back to our area.”
Labour have chosen Anna Turley as their candidate to try to regain the seat.

A hairdresser’s business could be affected
after rare and expensive scissors valued at hundreds of pounds were
among items stolen during a break-in to her car.

One set is gold coloured thinning scissors and the
second is standard scissors with pink jewels on the blades. A pair of
Wahl grooming clippers was also stolen during the break in to the silver
Vauxhall Corsa which was parked up on Station Road in Redcar overnight
Sunday 19th nito Monday 20th January.

Anyone who may have been offered these items for sale or who has other information is asked to contact PC John Dodsworth on 101.

Licence granted to area stretching east of Middlesbrough to
western edge of Redcar covering South Bank, Grangetown and north of the
River Tees

Fracking licence area on Teesside

Parts of Teesside have been licensed by the Government for potential fracking.
Companies have been given permission to explore and drill for hydrocarbons in areas of Redcar and Stockton.

A
Stockton councillor has now spoken out over his concerns over fracking,
adding the Government should incentivise “long-term solutions” not
“unproven methods”.

It comes as Prime Minister David Cameron
announced that English local authorities would receive all the business
rates collected from shale gas schemes – rather than the usual 50%.
According to the BBC, Whitehall officials say this would mean councils keeping up to £1.7m extra a year from each fracking site.

A
map compiled by data scientist Gianfranco Cecconi using data from the
Government shows that a licence has been granted to an area stretching
east of Middlesbrough to the western edge of Redcar covering South Bank, Grangetown and north of the River Tees.
These licences grant the power to “search and bore for and get” the Crown’s resources, such as oil and gas.

Fracking,
which involves drilling deep underground and releasing a high-pressure
mix of water, sand and chemicals to crack rocks and release gas stored
inside, has been criticised by some as it can cause small earth tremors
and uses huge amounts of water that must be transported to the site.
Councillor David Rose, Stockton Council's
Cabinet member for environment, said he believes there are “unresolved
questions” about the environmental impacts and economic benefits.

He
added: “I would prefer the Government incentivised long-term solutions
to the security and affordability of energy, not short-term, unproven
methods.
“The types of financial incentives suggested – as usual
with no real detail – by the government pale by comparison to the £54m
annual funding they are cutting from Stockton Council’s budget.”
Redcar Council says it has not yet received any inquiries from energy companies for exploratory operations.

Christopher
Massey, the council’s Cabinet member for environment and rural affairs,
said that before any exploration, planning permission has to be granted
by the local authority.
He added: “It is not known if the
fracking technique would be required and it may be that our local gas
resources could be mined by more conventional means.”

Police are issuing a warning following reports of a scam whereby
victims are asked to sign up to phone contracts and pay day loans are
taken out in their name.

Contact with victims has usually been
through social networking site Facebook and they are offered work
through a cleaning on phone company.

The next contact with the victim is usually via telephone whereby a man asks them to give their bank details for payroll.

Pay day loans have then been set up in the victims’ name.

In some cases victims have been asked to take out between three and
five phone contracts in their name and hand over the phones to receive
payment for them, which never materialises. After three months the phone
networks, who have also received no money, sell the debt to a
debt-recovery agency who then pursue the victim for the outstanding
costs.

PC Lorene Haworth said: “Do not be caught out by these
scams. Offers that look too good to be true usually are. Care needs to
be taken with who you give your personal details and bank details to and
if in any doubt, search a company online or call 101 or Action Fraud
for advice.”

Signs are to be put up warning dog owners about a mysterious disease that has
killed 17 dogs across Britain in recent months.

The Forestry Commission notices tell owners to take their pet to a vet should it develop lesions on its legs, paws or face.
Vets say the disease - which leads to kidney failure - is similar to "Alabama Rot", which was first seen in the US in the 1980s.
The source of the disease is unknown.

However, the Environment Agency has ruled out chemical contamination in water supplies.
The majority of the dogs that died in the past year were in
the New Forest, but there were also others in Surrey, Cornwall,
Worcestershire and County Durham.

The notices say owners should take their dog to a vet even if the lesions appear a week after a walk.
Alabama Rot had been associated with greyhounds, but the deaths in Britain in the past year have affected a variety of breeds.'Trigger' unknown
David Walker, from Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists in
Hursley, near Winchester, said: "What I would say is that if you see a
skin wound on your dog then don't just leave it.
"Ordinarily you might say I'll leave that for 24, 48 hours - I would say don't do that, get down to your local vet."

He added: "The dogs that have pulled through seem to be the
ones that have presented earlier on in the disease course. However, that
doesn't hold true for all of the patients, and dogs seems to be
affected to varying degrees."
Mr Walker said his practice first saw cases in December 2012
and since then vets had developed a "much better handle on what the
disease is" - but the "trigger" is still unknown.
He said it was "very similar" to Alabama Rot, which was thought to be related to a toxin produced by E. coli bacteria.Lesions on legs
But Mr Walker said his team had "looked very hard" for the bacteria and the toxin in infected dogs and not found either.

Alabama Rot - the common name for idiopathic renal glomerular
vasculopathy - only affected greyhounds when it was identified in the
US in the 1980s.

The recent cases in England are different because various
breeds have been affected - but Mr Walker said the "pathology [of the
disease] is exactly the same".
Like Alabama Rot, the first external symptom of the disease affecting dogs in England is lesions, usually on their legs.

More lesions can appear elsewhere on the body, and in some cases dogs can suffer kidney failure and die.

Boy, 15, has been arrested for an alleged public order offence and will
appear in court :: Academy will now discuss standards of behavior with
pupils.

Redcar Academy, where school children were protesting

Redcar Academy has said pupils involved in today's charity head-shave protest 'have not been excluded'.
A statement put on the school's website also insists that 'at no point' was was pupil Mia Flood excluded from Redcar Academy or prevented from continuing her education in school.

But Cleveland Police have confirmed that a boy, 15, has been charged with one public order offence in connection with an incident at the school earlier today.
He is due to appear at Teesside Youth Court on February 3.

It
comes after pupils demonstrated over reports in some local media and on
social networking sites that Mia was today being banned from the
classroom for defying the school’s policy against extreme hairstyles.
The 14-year-old shaved her head on Saturday during a fundraising day in Georgina Anderson's memory .

She intended to donate her hair to the Little Princess Trust, which makes wigs for young cancer patients.

From
the road outside the school today, pupils could be seen protesting
inside the school - although the Gazette has taken the decision not to
publish pictures or video of their demonstration.

The latest statement from the academy reads: "The Headteacher and Senior Leadership Team would like to thank all of the parents who have supported the academy today.

"98%
of our students listened to a statement read out by Mrs Parker and Mrs
Flood and accepted that misinformation had been put out by local media.

"Regrettably,
a small number of students continued to protest, however many of the
parents of these students have been very supportive.
"This small number of students have not been excluded from Redcar Academy.
"During
the next few days staff at The Academy will discuss with all students
the ongoing focus we have on high standards of behaviour and attitude to
learning.

"The statement released by Mrs Flood (Mia's mother) and (headteacher) Mrs Parker
is on our website and confirms that at no point was the student
excluded from Redcar Academy or prevented from continuing her education
in school."

Monday, 20 January 2014

Cleveland Police say teenager was detained at Redcar Academy on
suspicion of a public order offence and will now appear at the youth
court.

Police at Redcar Academy

Updated: A boy, 15, has been charged with one public order
offence in connection with an incident at Redcar Academy earlier today.

He is due to appear at Teesside Youth Court on February 3.
Police have arrested a 'young person' after being called in to the charity head-shave protest at Redcar Academy this morning.

As reported, youngsters have been protesting after a row blew up over how the school dealt with a pupil who shaved her head in memory of Marske teenager Georgina Anderson.

A
Cleveland Police spokeswoman said: “Police were made aware of some
disorder at the school just after 10am and officers arrested a young
person on suspicion of a public order offence and this person will be
interviewed by officers.”

The spokeswoman was unable to give an
age at this stage - or to confirm whether or not the arrested person was
a pupil at the school.

She was also at this stage unable to confirm whether the arrest was made on or off school premises.
Some media reports have suggested Redcar Academy student Mia Flood was today being banned from the classroom for defying the school’s policy against extreme hairstyles.

Mia, 14, shaved her head on Saturday during a fundraising day in Georgina's memory.
She intends to donate her hair to the Little Princess Trust, which makes wigs for young cancer patients.

Reports in local media, and on social media platforms, suggested Mia would be excluded from school today.

Earlier today, it was reported that the pupil was at the Kirkleatham Lane school.
But conflicting reports began to emerge as the day progressed that the teenager was being schooled at home.

Nobody from the school was available to clarify the situation when called by the Evening Gazette.
But the reports prompted scores of online comments and even a “Let Mia Flood Go Back To School” petition, which has attracted hundreds of signatures.

Earlier today, about 20 protesting students could be seen in the school grounds, some chanting “we shall not be moved.”
The school has released a statement claiming that the reports were “a distortion of the facts”.

School and family of pupil Mia Flood claim that reports she has been banned from class are 'a distortion of the facts.

Lauren, Dawn and Mia Flood on Saturday

A school today defended its approach over a pupil who shaved her head in memory of Marske teenager Georgina Anderson.

Some media reports have suggested Redcar Academy student Mia Flood was today being banned from the classroom for defying the school’s policy against extreme hairstyles.

Mia, 14, shaved her head on Saturday during a fundraising day in Georgina's memory.
She intends to donate her hair to the Little Princess Trust, which makes wigs for young cancer patients.

Reports in local media, and on social media platforms, suggested Mia would be excluded from school today.

It prompted scores of online comments and even a “Let Mia Flood Go Back To School” petition, which has attracted hundreds of signatures.

Earlier today, it was reported that the pupil was at the Kirkleatham Lane school today.
But conflicting reports began to emerge as the day progressed that the teenager was being schooled at home.

Nobody from the school was available to clarify the situation when called by the Evening Gazette.

Earlier today, about 20 protesting students could be seen in the school grounds, some chanting “we shall not be moved.”

But a joint statement released today by the academy and Mia’s family said the reports - not carried in the Gazette - were “a distortion of the facts”.
It adds that arrangements had been put in place for Mia to be educated if she went ahead with her head shave.

Nobody
from the school was available to take the Gazette's calls this morning
to detail what the facts were - or officially confirm whether Mia was
back at school this morning.
Part of the statement reads: “It is
with great regret that the fundraising event held in memory of Georgina
Anderson, raising money for Teenage Cancer Trust has been overshadowed
by a distortion of the facts."Redcar Academy
Also in the statement, Mia’s mum Dawn is reported as saying:
“This was never about my daughter or Redcar Academy, it was always about
raising funds in Georgina’s memory.

"I am saddened that due to
exaggeration and inaccuracies in the press that my family and Redcar
Academy have received unnecessary attention from the local media."
Sisters Lauren and Mia Flood, from Redcar, knew Georgina, who passed away from cancer in November aged just 15, through their shared love of performing arts.

The Redcar Blog has had pictures sent to us regarding the unconfirmed arrests of pupils at Redcar Academy today. We urge local Redcar people to send us information and share their thoughts on the actions of Redcar Academy.

This was after a "strike" by pupils today. The strike was arranged after the alleged banning of Mia Floodfor shaving her head in the memory of Georgina Anderson who lost her battle against cancer.

SCHOOL pupils protested today over claims that a girl was banned from
the classroom for shaving off her hair in memory of a friend who died of
cancer.

However Redcar Academy has issued a statement denying that there was any intention to suspend or exclude Mia Flood, 14, from education.

The Northern Echo understands that Mia was told she would have to wear
a wig and some students at the school are still upset about that issue.

Mia Flood was close friends with Georgina Anderson, a keen musician at
Byedales School, Redcar, who died from an aggressive form of cancer
aged 15.

In a statement Redcar Academy said: “It is with great regret that the
fund raising event held in memory of Georgina Anderson, raising money
for Teenage Cancer Trust has been overshadowed by a distortion of the
facts.

“Mia’s parents and Redcar Academy agreed prior to the event held on
Saturday, January 18 on arrangements for her education should she choose
to have her head shaved. At no point did Redcar Academy intend to
suspend or exclude Mia from education.

“The Academy has supported fund raising for the Teenage Cancer Trust
by hosting events in school, promoting the download of the Georgina
Anderson single before Christmas, and widely promoting Saturday’s
event."

As part of the same press release, Mia's mother Dawn Flood said: “This
was never about my daughter or Redcar Academy, it was always about
raising funds in Georgina’s memory. I am saddened that due to
exaggeration and inaccuracies in the press that my family and Redcar
Academy have received unnecessary attention from the local media.”

However Shanece Bennett, 15, who spoke to The Northern Echo with
permission from her mother, said: “We are protesting because Redcar
Academy have excluded a student, Mia Flood, for shaving their hair for
the Teenage Cancer Trust.

“The teachers have been out in the yard trying to get us in but we’ll stay out all day until they let her back into school.
“She told us personally that she is not allowed back into school until
she has a wig because her shaved head is classed as an extreme
hairstyle.”

Friday, 17 January 2014

Charity football match takes place tomorrow to raise money in memory of teenage singer from Marske.

A charity football match will be held tomorrow in memory of Marske teenager Georgina Anderson.
The game will see youngsters from Middlesbrough College take on dads at the college's astro-turf pitch.

All money raised will go to the Teenage Cancer Trust in memory of singer Georgina, who died in November.

The
15-year-old, who touched the hearts of hundreds of thousands of people
across the world through her music, passed away four months after being
diagnosed with an extremely rare and aggressive form of cancer.

The singer rose to national prominence as she realised her dream of having a YouTube hit.
And there have been a host of memorial events since, including a pink balloon tribute at Marske FC.

Sunday, 12 January 2014

The boss of Teesside's
biggest taxi company has revealed the firm will no longer transport
disabled passengers following a row over pricing.

Mohammed Bashir, of Boro Taxis, said the decision had been taken on economic grounds.
Teesside taxi operators were recently warned they could lose their licences for overcharging disabled passengers.

Middlesbrough Council believes the conduct breaches discrimination laws.
Mr Bashir said his company cannot afford to send an
eight-seater minibus to pick up customers if it can only charge them the
same price as it would an able-bodied person using a four-seater car.'Morally totally wrong'
"The simple fact is if you order a car and four people jump in
you are charged for a taxi. If you order an eight-seater minibus and
eight people jump in you are charged for a minibus.

"If you order a minibus and there's only one person you will still be charged for a minibus because that's what you ordered.

"But because we are charging for a minibus we are breaking the law."
Mr Bashir told BBC Tees the decision was "morally totally
wrong" but added it was "uneconomic" to continue carrying disabled
passengers in minibuses.

Middlesbrough Council said it was looking into the matter and
had written to taxi operators reminding them of their obligations under
the Equality Act 2010.
Deputy mayor Dave Budd said companies "have a moral obligation to treat everybody the same".
Last month a report by the authority found wheelchair users were sometimes being charged up to double the standard fare.

Saturday, 11 January 2014

A TEENAGER is taking on a sponsored skydive to raise money for the Sick
Children’s Trust after hearing about a young girl who died from cancer
aged just 15.

Nickole Relph was inspired to take on the challenge in memory of
Georgina Anderson, who supported the charity herself during her fight
against the disease.

The 18-year-old, from Redcar, spoke to the teenager’s mother before deciding to raise money for the charity.

The Middlesbrough sixth form student said: “I have supported charities
in the past but have never taken on a challenge event like this before.
After reading Georgina’s story in the newspaper, I really felt inspired
to do something to help in her memory.

“I am terrified of heights so this will be a really tough challenge,
but one that I hope will help me to conquer my fears and also raise
money for a worthwhile charity.”
The Sick Children’s Trust provides free, high-quality ‘Home from Home’
accommodation for families who have seriously ill children in hospital,
including Crawford House at the Royal Victoria Infirmary where
Georgina’s family stayed while she was in hospital.

Gail Stonley, house manager of Crawford House, said: “It is lovely to
see young people fundraise for us and we are so grateful to Nickole for
supporting the charity. She is very brave for facing her fears and we
cannot wait to hear how she gets on.”

The teenager is taking part in a sponsored skydive on January 18. To
support her fundraising visit www.justgiving.com/nickole-relph

Thursday, 9 January 2014

Redcar Job Centre is closed for the rest of the day after man, 56, causes disturbance just before 9.40am

Police were called in to a job centre amid reports a man carrying a piece of wood was causing a disturbance.

The man was later arrested for possession of an offensive weapon in a public place after a run-in with staff at Redcar job centre - which was subsequently closed for the rest of the day.
Police were called to the job centre on West Dyke Road just before 9.40am today.

A Cleveland Police spokeswoman said: "Police were called and the man was escorted out.
"The 56-year-old from Redcar was arrested."
The job centre closed as a result of the incident.

A spokesperson for the Department of Work and Pensions said: "Redcar
job centre will remain closed for the rest of today following an earlier
incident.
"The matter is now being handled by the police."

Saturday, 4 January 2014

Redcar and Cleveland Council have submitted plans to convert the Red Barns pub and hotel into family homes

The Red Barns Hotel in Redcar

The former home of one of Teesside’s most famous women is set to be redeveloped.
The Red Barns pub and hotel in Kirkleatham Street, Redcar,
was once the family home of Gertrude Bell - the remarkable mountaineer,
archaeologist, linguist and traveller who was one of the first women to
get an Oxford degree and became world renowned for her knowledge of the
Middle East.
A Grade II* listed building dating from 1870, it was
designed by acclaimed 19th century architect Philip Webb for local
industrialist Sir Thomas Hugh Bell and his family - including young
daughter Gertude.

It was converted to a pub and hotel in the 20th
century and even became famous in the 1990s for having llamas and other
animals in its garden.

But it fell on hard times in recent years
and after the brewery pulled out - and with no other businesses
interested - it has lain empty for months.

However, the building -
which has a blue plaque recognising Gertrude’s achievements on one of
its walls - could now be set for a new lease of life after plans were
submitted to Redcar and Cleveland Council to convert it into family homes.

Gertrude Bell was one of the first women to get an Oxford degree and became world renowned for her knowledge of the Middle East
Applicants D&R Developments of Saltburn plan to convert
the main building into four homes, with a separate application to follow
for two more.
Several parts of the building will be demolished,
but they are generally single-storey extensions of “low importance”
dating from about 1910.

Documents supporting the application say
that although the original building has been extensively altered over
the years, “the original design philosophy remains intact and creates an
interesting and attractive building, holding cultural and human
historical fascination for many people.”

The design and access
statement adds: “Red Barns has long been little used and the once
impressive building has been somewhat neglected and crudely adapted for
its various recent uses. The change of use will provide the catalyst for
the revitalisation of the site and provide a unique opportunity to
potential buyers to live in this historical building.

“The
development of this land is hoped to mark the revitalisation of this
much loved site, held in high regard by local people and in a prominent
position at the edge of the Coatham conservation area.”
Public consultation on the “change of use and conversion” application ends next Friday.

Thursday, 2 January 2014

Brian Taylor's unusual thirst first emerged in 2005. Since
then he has repeatedly breached an Anti Social Behaviour Order (Asbo)
designed to keep him away from petrol stations

Brian Taylor (inset) and a CCTV image of Taylor, sniffing
fuel at an Asda fuel station on Teesside prior to one of his earlier
court appearances

A gas-guzzling petrol addict has again been caught getting his tipple of choice from garages
Serial
offender Brian Taylor, 45, was banned from petrol stations for sneaking
onto the forecourts and attacking the pumps to get a sniff or drink of
unleaded.
Taylor’s unusual thirst first emerged in 2005.
Since then he has repeatedly breached an Anti Social Behaviour Order (Asbo) designed to keep him away from petrol stations.

Over
the years his addiction has seen him terrorise staff and customers
after cutting fuel pipes, sniffing or drinking petrol and dancing around
while high on the fumes.
And the four-star nuisance has been getting his fill of fuel over the festive season, breaching his order twice in one day.

A
court heard how Taylor was arrested after he went to two different
petrol stations in the West Dyke Road area of Redcar in order to satisfy
his bizarre addiction.

He appeared before Teesside Magistrates’
Court yesterday and admitted two offences of breaching his Asbo.
Prosecutor Guy Prest said Taylor was the subject of an Asbo with
specific prohibitions designed to keep him away from petrol station
forecourts.
Mr Prest said the defendant had a history of “attacking petrol pumps, obtaining petrol and consuming it”.

The
court heard how Taylor was spotted by staff at Morrisons on December 30
approaching the pumps in a bid to obtain petrol. The same day he also
went to the Tesco petrol station in West Dyke Road. Police were called
and he was arrested.

Mr Prest said Taylor’s record was a
substantial aggravating feature. He was also the subject of a community
order. Amy Dixon, mitigating, said Taylor accepted he had “taken the
drips from the petrol pumps”, adding: “It is not a particularly
sophisticated offence.”
She said the defendant’s life seemed to be
“a lot more settled than it has been in recent years” and he was
attending appointments with the probation service.

Taylor, of High
Street, Brotton, was given a 16-week prison sentence suspended for 12
months and told to pay £120 in costs and victim surcharge.
The
chairman of the magistrates told Taylor he was disappointed to see him
back in court again and warned him: “You put one foot wrong now and you
are going to go away.”